Alphonse Boudard(1925-2000)

At first he was an apprentice in an iron casting works. During the Occupation, he joined the underground movement to fight against the nazi invaders. However he worked illegally making counterfeit money, and became an expert in safebreaking using a blowlamp. This "activity" lead to his imprisonment (1945-1949 and 1957-1961). During his time in jail, he still had an allegiance with the underworld and their way of talking. "La Métamorphose des Cloportes" (1962) which describes convicts and gangsters, reveals his great talent. He also wrote about 30 novels, winning the Renaudot Prize in 1977 for "Les combattants du petit bonheur" and the French Academy Prize in 1995 for "Mourir d'enfance".